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What would you suggest for Education Reform?

Since Common Core has been such a hot topic lately, I'm curiouse what you all would suggest for education reform in the United States?

We are one of the only industrialized nations NOT to have reformed our educational system. China, Japan, Canda, Norway, etc. etc. all have had educational reform and I believe that is why they are beating us in international tests.

We can't keep educating our kids like they are going into a factory. We need tech-savy, creative, out-of-the-box thinkers. But, how do we do it? What are your ideas?

I would like to see grades done away with and move to a progressive system where kids move on when they've learned a skill/topic. Which would mean mixed age grouping. I've been so freaked out (just started homeschooling my eldest because of school difficulties, still have 3 others in ps and my youngest at home driving us crazy) because I read things about homeschoolers giving grades. But I had to remind myself that grades are so arbitrary, even when "standards-based" as our charter school is. I've had teachers tell me that they've seen better work, but had to grade my son lower because that was the standards-based writing assignment. I remember when I was in school and all your work counted, but now with standards-based, it's the one assignment that counts. Just advance the kid when he knows the material, not based on an arbitrary time-frame, not based on one assignment that could be a freak occurrence. :)

The only way we can begin to rebuild education is to first make education a priority in this country. The reason why other countries excell is because they don't tolerate severe disipline issues that is tolerated in our schools. Parents need to be held accountable for their children. More and more of the resonsibility is being shifted away from them. It starts at home. Teachers spend a huge amount of time with disipline. This is unacceptable. If a child is being disruptive and preventing other students from learning that parent needs to be held accountable. I agree with the comments about Finland. Teachers need to have more freedom to teach and not be forced to place so much emphasis on standardized testing. Many of these individuals who have developed these tests have never taught in a classroom. As a matter a fact if they had to teach for a day in some of these schools they probably wouldn't make it through the day. With all that aside another major issue that America has yet to address is our society. The schools are a direct reflection of what is really going on in our society. It is scary, the amount of violence, anger, and lack of respect for human life that some of these kids have. It is impossible for a school system to combat these problems alone. They need the help of parents, and the community.

The costs of college every day is thoughtless and pointless. Nobody in all their best days can afford to complete an education unless you have pull. If you aren't in money, know someone, or have glued family networking, then nobody is there. I have one thing to say and it's -- high prices shouldn't dictate the educational objective. It's all about winning a game, and that is nonsense.

There is a bull standing in the way of those which desire and need to accomplish some choices and options of career, in science, health, or education.

A bull which could be the college itself, the costs to heat, the rental for the property payments-- land ownership and teaching costs per hour, what is left to do in payment for an educationally focused but poor person who WOULD APPRECIATE ah hand UP, and not a mockerY?

In getting careers, it's as though you need to live in a ditch next to the college and change your clothes in the bathroom, wash them at the nearest car wash or live with 12-15 other students to get the ----so called HAND UP! What a mockery of trying to look good in a society which pulls and kicks everyone back down.

IF educating and colleging young minds is such a turmoil, then would we ALL benefit if it was to improve our overall status symbol of ***SUCH PEACE**** and such a great country that we are going lower than low to undermine the best intentions? For careers, for young innocent challenged hearts and minds, for OUR CHILDREN, for their benefitting theirselves.

What is right about tuition being so through the roof???!!!!f

It's understandable that costs are due to the blue listed above, ... but is it not those who pay , obtaining through grants and loans the reasons colleges are there in the first place. ? Which is why they" need": to be trained in the FIRST *place.

I feel sorry for everyone is what we just taught them in school leaves their core ambitions .

I always felt more pressure from the college itself, the gammut and peers (rank, pressure to look the look, talk the talk, etc. ... rather than just have gotten that well meant ****TrAINING****

It's about time it stopped being about who has more money, and more status, who knew, or knows who, and righteously called education/ school/ college,/ certification, etc,. FOR THE PURPOSE ITSELF

In the entire perspective of the school as a system, mostly it's a points driven core.

Points alone are a goal, it's a reflecting of what the child has achieved. School overall is very necessary. Points are just the indicator of what their learning so far.

If every child were to know what they liked to do, we would have no problem going for school to college and getting through, but they aren't college ready! NONE of them are. OR we wouldn't be dropping in rank amongst all the national averages and rank within the context of college achievers.

When bullying gets more attention as in those with just sheer brawn and no intellect. not saying they aren't capable, we're seeing only the product of limitations of goals from a solely medial driven bully based objective.

In our children when fathers' at night have t.v. shows as the main downtime and that is the reflection of their POINTS or INDICATION of what they hold valueable, then we've never acheieved we just settled. Or better , .... value if any left. . . . has never entered the bldg of our children's **OPTIVE** minds.

Stop misleading --- bullying etc. Start redirecting them.

Come on people it's our very own children.

Quoting lucsch:

Thank you!

My dh is a public school principal--actually he was a principal (works with teachers more) and stepped back to be an assistant principal (deals with the kids, mainly the troublemakers, and also runs the athletic programs) because he likes that job better. I am constantly hearing all about it!

My reflections are a sad, but true reality. I don't mean to demean all single parents. There are many single parents--many of whom really do care and have wonderful kids in the schools. However, there are just as many or more that don't care--don't even know HOW to parent--who are producing kids that are our future criminals, I'm afraid. It is the sheer number of them that I find frightening.Young, single parenting is becoming the norm in this country.

I didn't mention the SPOILED brats at the other end of the spectrum--they are just as bad, if not worse.

If anyone doubts anything I've said, just visit around on some of the public groups of CM. The evidence is appalling!

Quoting WantedNameTaken:

Double like!

Quoting lucsch:

I think we need SOCIAL reform, before school reform. Kids don't learn because they are learning to be dependent, lazy people. All they care about are their electronic toys, getting free stuff, and being entertained.

Where are the values of hard work and making something of oneself? Where is the value of respecting other people and especially ones elders? Where is the value of the love of learning?

The breakdown of family and family values has also played a huge role. The family at home is the foundation of the child's education. If the parent does not care, the child will not care. It is creating generational poverty and dependence upon the government.

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